AIBU to object to neighbour using my garden as their main access?

Quite often easements grant a right of way over a specific path shown on a plan for the owner of the house and anyone else authorised by them, servants or workmen are often given as an example. So it's quite possible they are acting entirely within the terms of the deed.

You definitely need to find out exactly what it says.

I don’t know what they’re called, but I think you can get a special security padlock with two keys - one for you and a spare, for your neighbour. And that’s it. She would be unable to get a spare key cut without your permission, and it would be at a cost of £££. And no one else could copy that key either, without your permission. And you would be notified if someone tried. Try a local security company/proper locksmith.

Or a code lock and just give her the code on bin day?

There's a gate between mine and neighbours garden

I live in an end block of 4 terrace with huge gardens. Two of the neighbours have right of access. These were built when everyone had a coal fire and it was mainly for the coal man. However, the deeds say pedestrian access only. That's it. It doesn't specify the householders only.
I'm lucky that the neighbour next door but one never ever uses it and the neighbour next door rarely, only maybe walking round the front with the lawnmower.
I think your neighbour is being very selfish and entitled though but if there's no specification in anyone's deeds then there's little you can do I don't think.
As some have said, can you fence off a pathway with 6' fencing for them to walk through?

Thanks for this! It’s completely new to me.
So this would be obvious if there was an easement as there would be a gate in the garden?

something else for me to worry about with moving 😂

Some friends of ours fell in love with this house but decided against putting in an offer due to this exact situation.
It was in the agents notes on the listing and they tried persuading themselves it would be a once a week thing for bins, but realised it could be a daily thing with difficult neighbours.
I personally would want a private garden for the price of the house!
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/88376772#/?channel=RES_BUY

I was under the impression this kind of access was purely for bins/gardener/window cleaner or for safety eg in case of a fire and exiting via the back. I honestly could not stand someone constantly walking through my back garden. As others have said I would seek legal advice, speak to your home insurance and as suggested a lock with key provided. She will probably hate the hassle of the locked gate. Also point out that they are jointly responsible for maintenance of this area.

Have you considered getting a return spring fitted to the gate so it closes as soon as they’ve walked through? Just a thought…….if it’s shared access I’m afraid you’ll have to tolerate the foot traffic

Not sure. Mines a semi detached house divided into 2 flats

Thank you 🙂

I'm in a London terrace (victorian conversion) and myself and most of my neighbours can only access our back gardens from our house. So additional access isn't something that's strictly necessary. Lots of us manage this way.

Although I am very careful when I BBQ! As the fire service would have a heck of a job getting to my garden (I'm also not on the ground floor).

However I did once live in an end terrace and the neighbour had right of way through my garden. It was an absolute nightmare and I swore never again. Apparently the people who lived there after me were hoping to put an extension on the back. I thought yeah good luck with that, I wasnt even allowed a patio table out there!

@TreesinthePark , mine allows access to all the houses in the block apart from the end ones.

Lock the gate with the longest code combination lock you can find and give her the code, then update the code every month (week) for 'security purposes'.

She'll soon use her front door then.

They are usually only for fire escape purposes so definitely check deeds and speak to citizens advice if not clear

So if its a long row say 9 houses could someone have 4 neighbours who walk through, next house has 3 neighbours entering etc?

Could you need access via a neighbour and also have to grant access to next house along? Genuine question here and hope doesn't sound too daft or ignorant. Thank you

You could do a lock that can be opened from the garden side so she can take bins out etc but not so people can enter from other side

Ok at my place to get access to back door from outside you walk round, through neighbours garden and into mine to get to the door. Rarely use it but did so more when kids had bikes there so they could go in the shed in garden

Im in a mid terrace and have the same thing...but in 5 years ive only used my neighbours garden gate once to access mine after i locked myself out...this woman should not be using your garden like this...i would be locking the gate and taking legal advice.

We have a similar arrangement but our neighbour only ever comes through our garden if she needs to show a workman/gardener her garden . She goes through her own front door for everything else!

I think I would get a lock for the gate and give her a key. I reckon it needs to be a keyed lock, preferably self locking, so she can't just give the code out willy-nilly. I'd be tempted to go for multiple gates/locks if it was feasible.

I have similar access rights across the back of mine but thankfully the neighbours only use it occasionally. It was a risk I knew I was taking when I moved in, but it was the only way I could afford a house rather than a flat so I felt it was worth the risk.

I’m still confused - does anyone have an image of how this works?
So do the NDNs have a gate into someone else’s garden and they walk through someone’s garden to get to their gate?

Check your deeds. If they have a right there's nothing you can do and it be illegal to lock the gate etc. my friend had similar situation and didn't realize as she will hold her hands on this but didn't read the legal bits... anyway she resold as legally nothing could be done.

Not true. The "dominant tenement" means the property itself, not the people occupying the property. The neighbours rights of access will depend entirely on the precise words used in the relevant title document (assuming this is England or Wales).

All the ones I've seen have always had an alley at the back with individual gates. I lived in one for years and wouldn't have imagined similar houses without an alley.